Nea Alikarnassos

Nea Alikarnassos Νέα Αλικαρνασσός
Aerial photograph of Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport and Nea Alikarnassos
Location
Nea Alikarnassos
Coordinates	35°19′N 25°11′E
Location within the regional unit
Government
Country:	Greece
Region:	Crete
Regional unit:	Heraklion
Municipality:	Heraklion
Population statistics (as of 2001)
Municipal unit
- Population:	12,542
Other
Time zone:	EET/EEST (UTC+2/3)

Nea Alikarnassos (Greek: Νέα Αλικαρνασσός, meaning New Halicarnassus) is a former municipality in the Heraklion regional unit, Crete, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Heraklion, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 12,542 (2001). It is located on the north coast of the island and is served by the Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport. In the settlement of Prassas, the Minoan ruins of two houses were found.

Nea Alikarnassos was founded in 1925 as a public housing development to accommodate the refugees, who were displaced following the Asia Minor Disaster.

Politics

The elections reveal a domination of the left wing. In the general elections of 2007 the distribution percentage of representatives were as follows: Social PASOK 52.85% (2004: 54,54%), the conservative New Democracy 31,22% (2004: 33.84%), the Communist KKE 8.97% (2004: 8.00%), the left SYRIZA 3.15% (2004: 2.14%), the right LAOS 1.61% (2004: 1.07%) and the Green Party 1.19%.

Evangelos Sisamakis (PASOK) was first elected mayor in 2003 and was reelected in 2006 with 63% of the votes in the first round.

Major problems and conflicts have been caused with gypsies and there are over 500 Roma peoples living in poverty stricken conditions in Nea Alikarnassos. They are engaged primarily in migrant trade such as furniture, clothing and vegetables. Their camps lacks infrastructure, electricity, and the sewage system and water supply is imperfect.

External links

• Official website (in Greek)